


For the Caged Bird Sings of Freedom

by alexavindr (orphan_account)



Series: Caged Bird [1]
Category: Captain America (Movies), X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Angry Erik, Canon Compliant, Gen, Holocaust, M/M, Post-Serum Steve Rogers, Pre-Canon, Protective Steve Rogers, Stucky if you squint, smol child erik
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-23
Updated: 2016-01-23
Packaged: 2018-05-15 15:37:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,002
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5791081
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/alexavindr
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Erik looks up from the corner, his eyes bloodshot from crying and his body shaking in pain and fear. "Hilfe," he pleads.</p>
<p>The source of the voice, a man in a red, white and blue suit with a metal shield, nods. </p>
<p>"Hilfe ist auf dem Weg."</p>
            </blockquote>





	For the Caged Bird Sings of Freedom

**Author's Note:**

> SO I'VE HAD THIS IDEA IN MY HEAD FOR LITERALLY THE ENTIRE TIME I'VE BEEN IN THIS FANDOM BECAUSE IT'S CUTE AF AND IT'S SO CANON-COMPLIANT OHHHHEUGHREUIGH 
> 
> Sorry I just love Steve and Erik and Bucky and everything the world is amazing let's make an AU
> 
> The title is from the poem Caged bird by Maya Angelou. The link to this beautiful piece of art (the poem, that is) is [here](http://www.familyfriendpoems.com/poem/i-know-why-the-caged-bird-sings-by-maya-angelou).
> 
> EDIT: OMG SO MUCH SUPPORT IN SO LITTLE TIME! Okay, I just wanted to change some things that have been brought to my attention - because I did absolutely no research on history whatsoever - by ALilyByAnyOtherName. Thank you, by the way. Anyway historical inaccuracies will be fixed

Everything is red.

Erik breathes in, his lungs on fire, his vision swimming with tears. At the mention of an Allied invasion Herr Doktor had picked up his things and left - without Erik. Erik was still fresh out of an experiment that had been one of the most painful yet, and probably the most intrusive. The cuts still sting on his back, the blood having just clotted to leave a scab.

Huddled in the corner of the office (a new one, when they had relocated from Auschwitz so that Herr Doktor could continue in a more secretive setting), Erik begins to weep. Three years he had been subject to the man's every whim and wish. Every scar on his back was made with cruel curiosity to see what was inside, what was set the mutant apart from a human...and all the data, every hypothesis he'd made, had fallen short. Every drop of blood that had dripped onto the examining table was for naught, and now everything is red and Erik can't _see._

He is vaguely aware of footsteps thundering up the stairs to the office.

Bucky!" a voice yells fervently. "Bucky, there's a kid in here!"  
  
Erik looks up from the corner, his eyes bloodshot from crying and his body shaking in pain and fear. "Hilfe," he pleads, his throat hoarse from crying and smoke.

"Hilfe," Erik sobs, his hand reaching out on the floor, filthy with blood and soot.  
  
The source of the voice, a man in a red, white and blue suit with a metal shield, nods, his blonde hair flopping in front of his face.  
  
"Hilfe ist auf dem Weg." the man said firmly, his accent atrocious but familiar. _Help is on the way,_ Erik thought. He let his head fall back against the wall in relief, another sob racking through his chest. The man turns. "Bucky!"

"Steve, I'm here," another man pants, his outfit less colorful and more necessity-based rather than showy. Erik's heavy-lidded eyes lift to them. "Oh, damn."

"We gotta get him out of here," the first man - Steve, presumably - growls. "Can you stand?" Erik merely stares at him. Steve lets out an annoyed noise, but it's not for Erik. It's the language barrier, because despite what he'd said before that must be memorized for other Germans, one reassuring phrase to ensure that they will trust him. Instead he extends a hand.

Erik doesn't take it.

Steve lets out another huff, and Bucky reaches for his hand to reassuringly hold it and lace their fingers together. Erik narrows his eyes as best as he can. He wonders if that was an American thing, that men could, or would want to do that. Normally he would think no.

"C'mon, Steve," Bucky murmurs. "We can't save everyone."

_"No,"_ Steve hisses, his gaze out the dirty window pane. "I'm not leaving a child, Bucky, not because he doesn't know what we stand for. You _do_ know what we stand for, right?"

"Steve..."

Steve unlaces his fingers from Bucky's - though it wasn't angry - and stalks over to Erik, dropping to one knee. "Hey, kid." he says, his voice gentle. Erik lets his eyes graze over his face. "I know you probably can't understand this... But I can get you to safety. I promise."

"Steve - " Bucky begins, but Steve stops him with his palm. He averts his gaze back to Erik.

"We're safe," he breathes. Steve's eyes light up, and suddenly there's a presence of metal, of copper and a small amount of nickel, brought to the forefront of Erik's attention. It's a coin - an American coin. It's like the coin Herr Doktor had pressed into his hand all those years ago, right after his mother had been shot. But this is different, with its eagle and a man on the front. Erik lets it float into his hand, not caring when Steve's eyes grow wide in surprise. He presses it into his palm.

"Safe," Erik repeats, feeling the word roll off his tongue. The coin is cool in his hand, the metal buzzing comfortably.

"Yes - ja," Steve nods, his brow furrowing slightly. "With...With the coin...How..."

Erik knows what he is asking, even if he doesn't understand the exact words. Tugging at the incredibly powerful and alluring shield, Erik lets it gently pull itself a few inches off the ground and into the air, smiling when Bucky's eyes widen in awe. It's difficult for Erik to control something so large, but it's still moving, and that's enough to keep it there, just knowing that he _does_ have the power to move it. The metal itself is strange, manufactured but still a pure element besides the paint decorating it. It feels cool and powerful to Erik, yet it's easy to lift it, or, rather, easier. Erik hadn't really been able to control large objects before, much to Herr Doktor's annoyance. Maybe he had been doing it out of spite all this time.

"Incredible," Bucky murmurs.

"Come with us, please," Steve says after Erik lets the shield float back onto the floor. "We'll get you safe. In America."

This time, Erik accepts the helping hand and stands up, limping, blood soaking through his thin shirt. Steve takes one look at it and gasps, his eyes locking with Bucky's in surprise. Bucky merely grits his teeth and grabs Steve's hand again.

"Let's go," he says. "The Commandos are waiting outside."

"What is your name?" Steve asks as they slowly step down the stairs. Erik understands enough.

"Erik," he says. "Erik Lehnsherr."

"I'm Steve. Captain America." the blonde says in return, and Erik has a small intake of surprised breath. Captain America? He'd heard Herr Doktor talk about him and how he's riling up the American troops and is leading the Howling Commandos. Captain America is _good._ He was famous, even in Axis territory. Maybe he is famous _because_ he is in Axis territory. Erik smiles, and he could tell Steve knows he recognizes the name. "I'm going to get you home."

**Author's Note:**

> tell me what you thought! give me suggestions! do things!
> 
> also there's one hell of a blizzard coming my way so my power's most definitely going out


End file.
